Germany should take lead in global reduction of hazardous substances – UN expert

Berlin (7 December 2015) – “Germany is well placed to take the global lead in preventing harm from the use of hazardous substances and ending double standards in the use of such chemicals outside the European Union,” the UN expert on human rights and hazardous substances and waste, Baskut Tuncak, said today*.

Mr. Tuncak was speaking at a news conference where he presented his preliminary findings and conclusions at the end of an eight-day visit to Germany. 

“When viewed through the human rights lens, several recent achievements in Germany and the European Union stand out, which have helped protect or realize the rights to information, effective remedy, life, health, safe food, safe drinking water and sanitation, adequate housing, a healthy environment and a safe workplace,” he said.

“But unfortunately, chemicals banned from use in the EU because they have unmanageable risks are still exported or manufactured for use outside EU borders by German companies to countries with far weaker or essentially non-existent systems for chemicals management,” the Special Rapporteur noted. “Workers and communities in developing countries are particularly at risk from such practices.”

 For all stages – extraction, production, use, emission and disposal – of hazardous substances, strong global standards were necessary to prevent double standards to ensure businesses respect human rights at home and abroad, the Special Rapporteur stressed. “I encourage the German government to be active in developing a strong global regime for chemicals management”, he said.

“I am confident that Germany can lead efforts, which might serve as an inspiration to other countries, to reduce the use of hazardous substances that impact human rights and prevent double standards. I look forward to seeing German businesses emerge as leaders in the transition to safe chemicals and to the German Government’s efforts to better enable this shift,” Mr Tuncak stressed.

He also reiterated a call made earlier this year by himself and the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food to set an ambitious target for the phasing out of highly hazardous pesticides, or HHPs.

Mr. Tuncak praised Germany’s long-standing reputation for innovation that achieves high standards of quality and performance. He highlighted positive developments by some German companies in developing private procurement policies to create incentive to protect of human rights, and in increasingly adhering to the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

“However, I also heard concerns during my visit regarding the potential adverse health impacts of toxic chemicals on young children, and the challenge of holding those responsible to account,” he said. “In pursuit of protecting the rights of the child, Germany and other EU member states have an opportunity to be global leaders by developing strong, health-based criteria for endocrine (hormone) disrupting chemicals (EDCs).”

Mr. Tuncak’s visit, from 30 November to 7 December, aimed to gather information on good practices from the German Government and businesses on the protection of people from hazardous substances and waste. It included meetings with a large number of representatives of public institutions, corporations, industry associations, trade unions and civil society organizations in Berlin, Bonn, Frankfurt, Leverkusen and Ludwigshafen.

The Special Rapporteur will prepare a final report with conclusions and recommendations on topics studied during the mission, which will be presented to the Human Rights Council in September 2016.

ENDS

(*) Check the full end-of-mission statement:  http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2015/12/end-visit-statement-united-nations-special-rapporteur-toxics-and-human-rights
Mr. Baskut Tuncak (Turkey) was appointed Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes by the UN Human Rights Council in 2014. Learn more, visit:  http://www.ohchr.org/en/topic/climate-change-and-environment

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

UN Human Rights, country page – The Republic of Germany:
http://www.ohchr.org/en/countries/germany

For more information and media requests, please contact:
In Germany (during the visit): Melinda Ching-Simon (+41 79 444 4917 / mchingsimon@ohchr.org)
In Geneva (after the visit): Melinda Ching-Simon (mchingsimon@ohchr.org) or
Ahreum Lee (+41 79 917 9391 / ahreumlee@ohchr.org) or write to srtoxicwaste@ohchr.org

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya, UN Human Rights – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)  

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